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F.-l

1,106 I , icss telegrams wore sent via Pacific and 1.571 via Eastern, compared with 912 and 1.250 respectively last year. A .system of deferred cable messages instituted on the Ist January, 1912, providing for transmission ai half the ordinary charge (such messages being forwarded after ordinary cable messages, but not suffering a longer delay than twenty-four hours) is fully appreciated by the cabling public. A system providing for the despatch of week-end cable messages between places in New Zei Liml and the I aited Kingdom lodged between midnight on Saturdays and noon on Mondays was inaugurated on the Itli .January, 1913. The charge for transmission over the cable is 9d. per wind, with a minimum ill 1 8s.. id. per word being added in each case for transmission over inland lines in the Dominion or in the United Kingdom. Details of the traffic attached to this report indicate that the innovation will lie generously supported. A new deep-sea cable directly connecting Sydney with Auckland has been successfully laid, and is operated by the staff of the I'aeitic Cable Board, now accommodated in the new Chief Post-office building at Auckland. The ocean cable is run from Bondi, near Sydney, to Muriwai, on the west coast of the Auckland Province. On behalf of the Pacific Cable Board the Departmeni surveyed a route and laid a subterranean cable between Muriwai Beach and Harkin s Point, a distance ol Mi- miles. Two cables were drawn into the underground ducts extending from the Ponsonby Keel' to the Board's office ai Auckland. The cable which formerly landed ai Doubtless Bay and connected the Dominion at Norfolk [sland with the Pacific cable to Vancouver has been extended to Auckland. Wireless Telegraphy. The wireless station of 2i kilowatts erected on Mount Etako, immediately behind the City of Wellington, and designated "Radio-Wellington, was opened on ine lltn October. 1012. The Station is situated 985 ft. above sea-level. Power is supplied from an extension of the city electric mains. It is open for business continuously. At nignt signals are exchanged with vessels within a radius of 600 to 1,000 miles, according to the varying atmospheric conditions, and almost nightly with some of the Australian stations. Telephone and telegraph wires between the station and the city facilitate the prompt handling of messages. The aerial, which is supported by two masts of Oregon pine 150 It. high, and about 300 ft. apart, is of the Hat-to]) type, and is composed of four phosphor-bronze wires I I'i. apart. From the middle of i iie aerial lour wires extend downward to Ihe building. The earl h conned ion consists of 300 copper wires radiating about 300 ft. from the station, situated midwaj between the masts. The ground is of rocky formation, wit h irregular surface. The results obtained from the working of the station have exceeded expectations. The experimental wireless station which was situated m the tower of the General Post Office has been dismantled. On the 24th October, 1912, a 2J-kilowatl station, open during certain hours daily, was established on the poof of the new Chief Post-oHice at Auckland. The tubular steel masts of this station have been erected on the two domes of the building. Excellent results have also been obtained. The range is somewhat less than that of "Radio-Wellington. The installation of wireless apparatus on the Government cable steamer "Tutanekai" was completed on the 20th June, 1912. The equipment has already proved valuable in aiding the work of repair to submarine cables. The erection of the Chatham islands wireless station of 2.1 kilowatts is proceeding, and communication will be established shortly. Tiie high-power station at Awanui of Mo kilowatts has been completed. It will be capable of communicating with Sydney at any hour. This station is provided with a tower 394 f- in height, from which an umbrella-shaped aerial spreads from summit to base over an area of about 90 acres. A similar station at Awarua. near Bluff, is also completed. These stations are undergoing departmental tests. At the International Radio-telegraphic Convention at London, in June. 1912. the question of the regulation of wireless communication was reviewed. Tiie Convention emphasized the need of a closer observance of the regulation requiring ships to communicate witii the nearest coast station so as to minimize the interference peculiar to wireless communications and to permit of a greater number of radio-telegraphic messages being exchanged simultaneously. The use of minimum power for the distance to be covered has also been enjoined lor the same reason. In exceptional cases maximum power may be used and a station other than tiie nearest one may be communicated with if a special wave-length be employed. The general trend of the amended regulations is in the direction of limiting long-distance working from one ship to another and between a ship and a coasi station in order to circumscribe the area of disturbance. Ships are to be graded in three classes, and to observe prescribed hours of attendance, principally to ensure distress signals being observed. The amended regulations come into force in July, 1913. Sixteen ship stations are registered in New Zealand. The Telefunken system is used at all New Zealand shore stations. By the radio-telegraphic service of the Department weather reports from and to vessels are on request transmitted five of charge. Tklephonk Exchanges. Twenty new exchanges were opened during the year, the number of subscribers increased by 1.50(1 and the number of connections by 5.(i77. The total number of exchanges now is 213, made up of 60 central and 153 sub-exchanges.